Automatic smudge-pot.



F. J. FISHER.

AUTOMATIC SMUDGE POT. APPLICATION FILED JULY1 5,1913.

1,09 5,496 I Patented May 5,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

f 1x VENTOR F. J. FISHER. AUTOMATIC SMUDGE POT.

APPLICATION FILED. JULY 15, 1913.

Patented Ma-y 5, 1914.

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VICLNESSES:

P. J. FISHER. AUTOMATIC SMUDGB POT.

- APPLICATION FILED JULY15,1913. 1,095,496. Patented May 5, 1914.

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W 4 Wade/ ab? (122372 FREDERICK J'. FISHER, 0F OAKLAND, CAIiIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC SMUDGE-POT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 15, 1913. Serial No. 779,123.

Patented May 5, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. FISHER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 7 Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Smudge- Pots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic ignition device for smudge pots andthe like.

It is the object of this invention to provide a self-operated device for igniting fuel in smudge-pots and the'like when thetemperature falls to acertain predetermined degree so as to render it unnecessa to light them by hand, and which will ena le the lighting of a large number of smudge-pots at practi-.

cally the same time.

A further. object is to provide an auto- -matic, self-lighting. smudge-pot which is particularly adapted for use in the fruit growing industries where it is necessary to create a smudge or blanket of smoke under fruit bearing trees to prevent injury to the trees and fruit byfrost, and which is so constructed as to be mechanically operated by a. self-contained mechanism when the temperature falls to a certain degree.

Another object is to rovide a device of the above character w ich is simple and cheap in construction, eflicient and reliable in operation, and not'liable to be accidentally opera d. i

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention primarily resides in a thermostatically controlled trip-lever and means adapted to be actuated by the trip-lever for igniting combustible materials in a smudgepot, and simultaneously, automatically removing acove and the thermostat from the smudge-pot.

The invention further consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the invention with parts broken away, showing it as set in readmess for 0 eration. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view with parts broken away, showing the positions assumed by the movable elements of the device after being automatically operated. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on the line a-a of Fig. ,5.

I11 the drawings A represents a smudgepot which may be of any suitableconstruction and is adapted to contain a combustible liquid or other desired fuel, indicated at The open, upper end of the smudge-pot A is provided with a baffle-plate 2 which extends horizontally across the smudge-pot and is attached to the rim thereof. A cover consisting of a loose plate 3 is provided for I the purpose of closing the smudge-pot and protecting its contents from rain and dew. Mounted on the cover plate 3, and extending rearwardly thereof, at its center, is a bar 4, on the outer end of which a Weight 5 is supported. The, weight 5 may be either rigidly attached to the bar 4 or loose thereon.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is constructed as follows: Pivoted at 6 on the forward edge of the plate 3, is a dependin latch arm 7, having a laterally-projecting pin 8 thereon, arranged to engage a'stud 9, mounted on the smudgepot A. The pin 8, when in engagement with the stud 9, serves to retain the cover'plate 3 in position on the smudge-pot A in opposition to the weight 5. A vertically swinging trip-lever 10 is pivoted at 11 to the forward edge of the cover plate 3,, and is provided with a weight 12 on one of its ends which weight serves as a striker and is designed to rock the trip-lever 10 from a horizontal to a vertical position and in so doing strike the-arm 7 in such manner as to rock the latter and thereby move the pin 8 out of engagement with the stud 9 torelease the cover plate 3, as will be later described. The trip-lever 10 is designed to be held in substantially a horizontal position in opposition to the weight 12 bv means of a pin 13 on a thermostat blade 14, mounted on ablock 15,

prises parallel plates of'difi'erent expansibleand contractible properties so arranged that the blade will be bent inwardly at its outer I, end by a rise in temperature, and will be smudge-pot A and the pin 8 on the arm 7 'is disposed in engagement with the under side of the stud 9. The trip-lever 10 is then disposed with its outer end beneath the pin 13 on the thermostat blade 14; the various parts being then positioned as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When the temperature falls sufliciently far to causethe thermostat plate 14 to move outwardly and carry the pin 13 out of engagement with the triplever 10, the latter will be rocked on its pivot 11 by the action of the weight 12. The weight 12 in falling strikes the arm 7 and rocks the latter on its pivot 6, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby moving the pin 8 out of engagement with the stud 9. The weight 5 will then operate to rock the cover-plate 3 and cause the latter to fall clear of the smudge-pot A, as shown in Fig; 4. The cover 3 in falling from the smudgepot A releases a swinging lever 16, supported on the bafiie-plate 2 and previously held in place by means of the cover-plate 3. The

lever 16 is designed to carry a loose capsule or cup 17 containing sulfuric acid, and when released by the removal of the cover 3 drops the capsule into a celluloid cup 18,

supported on the fuel B, containing a small quantity of potassium. The acid on striking the potassium actsto produce a flame which ignites the celluloid cup 18 which in burning kindles the fuel B.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 the thermostat blade and the mechanism controlled thereby are mounted independent of a cover-plate 3; the thermostat blade 14' being admstably mounted in a frame 19. The latch arm 7 is in the form of a bent lever, pivoted at 6 to the frame 19, and havin' a hooked outer end 8' adapted to engage t e forward edge of the coverplate 3 to suspend the frame 19 and its connections. The trip-lever 10 is pivoted at 11 to the frame 19, and when the device is set in readiness for operation, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, one arm of the lever 10 is inserted in a slot 13"in the thermostat blade 14. When the hook 8 is engaged with the cover-plate 3, as shown in Fig. 5, the weight of-the frame 19 and its connections will oppose the weight 5, so as to retain the cover-plate 3 in osition on the smudge-pot. In the operation of this form of the invention, the thermostat blade 14' will move away from the trip-lever 10 when acted upon by a fall in temperature, so as to the release the trip-lever andcause its weighted.

outer end 12 to' fall and strike the lower portion of the arm 7 thereby throwing the hooked portion 8 out of engagement with the cover-plate 3, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When this occurs, the frame 19 will fall to the ground and the weight 5 will act to rock the cover-plate 3 on the edge of the smudge-pot A and cause the cover 3 to fall clear of thesmudge-pot; the cover 3 in moving from the smudge-pot operates the ignition device, as before described, so as to set fire to the fuel in the smudge-pot. The thermostat blade is mounted so as to beadjust'able in relation to thetrip-lever, so that it will operate to release the latter at any desired temperature. This mounting of the thermostat blade is particularly shown in Fig. 6, and consists of a pair of parallel pins 20 which pass through the thermostat blade, and on' which the latter is slidable.

. A bolt 21, turnably secured to the thermostat blade, passes through and is threaded in the thermostat support, and has a binding nut 22 on its outerend. The bolt 21 may be screwed in and out of the thermostat support, so as to dispose the thermostat blade in any desired position.

It is manifest that any suitable form of ignition device may be employed in lieu of the onehere shown, and that various modifications may be made in the trip mechanism and thermostat control.

From the foregoing it will be seen that ll have provided a smudge-pot in which the fuel will be automatically ignited by a fall of temperature; thus rendering it unnecessary for a grower to keep watch during threatening weather and enabling the dispensing with attendants for lighting the smudge-pots by hand.

The automatic feature of this invention enables a grower to place a large number of the smudge-pots in an orchard or grove with the assurance that they will be ignited practically simultaneously when the temperature falls to a degree dangerous to the trees and fruit.

Having thus described my inv'ention,what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- ,ent, is

1. The combination with a smudge-pot and a removable cover therefor, of a thermostat, means controlled b the thermostat for removing the cover, an an ignition device operated by the removal of the cover for'igniting fuel in the smudge-pot.

2. n a smudge-pot, a loose cover,aweight for overbalancing and removing the cover, a catch for holding the cover in place in opposition to the weight, a thermostat, means controlled by the thermostat for releasing the'catch, and an ignition device released by the removal of the cover for igniting fuel in the smudge-pot.

for overbalancing and removing'the cover,

a catch for holding the cover in place in opposition to the weight, a thermostat, a

weighted trip-lever controlled bythe thermostat and adapted to strike and actuate the catch to permit the weight to remove the cover, and an ignition device operable on the removal of the "cover for igniting fuel in the smudge-pot.

4. The combination with a smudge pot, of a removable cover provided with a weight, a'catch for holding said cover on the smudge pot, a thermostat supported by the pot for releasing said catch, and an ignition device released by the removal of the cover for .igniting fuel in the'pot.

holding said cover in closed position, a trip 5. The combination with a smudge pot, of a weighted removable cover, a catch for for actuating said catch, a thermostatic device supported-by the pot for controlling said trip, a supporting member beneath said cover, andan ignition device loosely carried by said supporting member adapted to be released by the removal of said cover for igniting the fuel inthe smudge pot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto'set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK J. FISHER Witnesses:

.A.J,S0HULzE, E; B.- S'mwm. 

